Google’s latest update to its Maps application took place just a few days ago. We did not see much of a change, as it only brought some bug fixes and improved battery life, but Google had sneaked in a very pleasant surprise. Lattitude check-ins now earn you points, which affect your social score in a Google+ leaderboard.

Competition is usually affected when Google releases new services. If possible, we try to stick to Google products, as they work seamlessly with the Android operating system. This service is much to the likes of a popular social check-in network called Foursquare.

Things seem to be a bit tricky now. Many users can’t access the service yet, and others have to check in before even realizing it is there. We are not used to checking-in via Latitude, though. But it is likely that Google is setting things up for a better check-in experience.

Go ahead and try to check it out. And just out of curiosity – how do you guys usually check-in? I mostly use Facebook, but that is because it is what most of my friends use. I would love to see more people adopting better services out there.